Chereads / The Phantom’s Gambit / Chapter 6 - Altercation

Chapter 6 - Altercation

Void trailed behind Octavius, his eyes fixed on the other's back. He had long since realized that his attempts to persuade Octavius to let him back in were futile. No matter how cleverly he phrased his arguments or how tempting he made his offers, Octavius remained resolute in his refusal.

Suddenly an idea hit Void. Why ask for permission, when I can just kill him, he wondered.

But Octavius had heard his thoughts as though there were his own, and he turned to Void immediately.

"What did you just say?" 

Void stared at Octavius, slightly perplexed, until he realized that their intertwined connection allowed them to hear each other's thoughts. 

"That's right," Octavius retorted, expecting Void to be flustered or ashamed. But instead, Void's lips curved into a smirk.

 [Well, then, I guess I won't need the element of surprise.]

He carelessly kicked up a knife lying on the ground. Octavius's eyes widened as he recognized it as his own pocket knife - the same one he had used on the men who murdered his sister.

 Void seized the momentary distraction to vanish, only to reappear behind Octavius. With a swift and deadly motion, Void plunged the knife deep into Octavius's stomach and grinned sadistically in delight.

Octavius gurgled, exhaling sharply as he struggled to speak.

 [Say me hi to my brothers if you see them again.] 

Void raised the knife, poised to strike again, but his movement was halted by a searing pain in his abdomen. His grin faltered, and he slowly looked down to see black blood spilling from his body, mirroring an equal amount of blood, flowing from Octavius's wound.

Void pushed himself away from Octavius, clutching his abdomen in agony. He collapsed to the ground, again, mirroring Octavius's fallen pose. 

What is this pain? Void wondered, his mind reeling. He had never encountered a physical pain before, it felt so foreign to him. 

Not only was he unable to enter Octavius's body at will, but it seemed that any harm inflicted upon Octavius was also suffered by him.

[Let me in your body, I can stop it.]

"I am never going—"

[Unless you want to die and ruin your chances of getting revenge, let me in. I can put a stop to it.] 

"If you can stop it then do that. You don't have to enter my body." Octavius yelled out amidst the pain.

Void patience had worn thin with Octavius' refusal to complh. He crawled to where Octavius lay situated on the ground. He was glazing over as if on the verge of passing out. Void shoved two of his fingers into Octavius's wound, causing his eyes to snap back open in agony. Void felt the same searing pain too, but Unlike Octavius, he knew how to endure it.

[Make me repeat myself again and I'll shove all my fingers into your stomach and make you watch as I pull out whatever I find at first touch.]

Octavius gritted his teeth, biting back the pain as he pushed forward. Void's hand slid deeper into the wound, but Octavius refused to yield. Just as Void expected Octavius to cast him back in his body, Octavius suddenly spat a mouthful of blood directly onto Void's face.

"Do whatever you like, and when you're done. You can go to hell."

Void looked momentarily stunned by Octavius audacity and unwavering refusal to yield, despite his offers and gruesome threats.

He slowly withdrew his fingers from Octavius' wound. The pain had started to wear on him too. His knees buckled, and he collapsed beside Octavius.

[I am in hell], he managed to whisper a response to Octavius.

As he fell, his gaze caught sight of the knife he had used to strike down Octavius, unwittingly, bringing harm upon himself in the process.

Void's eyes widened as he noticed the intricate carvings on the knife's handle, his lips parting in shock. The truth finally dawned on him - the reason a single stab wound was causing such catastrophic damage to both their bodies.

Though he would have preferred to be spared the agony, he realized the knife's dark magic was affecting them equally. Void coughed up more blood, mirroring Octavius's own struggles.

 [Fine. Don't let me in your body. But for your own sake, try to heal yourself. Not for me, but so you can live to avenge those who wronged you and your family. We're fighting for the same cause, after all.]

[If it were you,] he continued [you would have done the same to protect your last shred of hope, your only chance to rise up against those who've wronged you. You would have fought tooth and nail to hold on to that spark, because it's all that's left to fuel your quest for justice. And in that moment, your actions would have been justified –If it were you]

[Understand that the only way to move forward is by embracing the darkness. And perhaps, if you look closer, you'll realize how beautiful the art of the dark is. Take a chance that could make you do and seek the revenge you need. Let me in, Octavius; I am that chance.]

Octavius remained silent, prompting Void to dart a glance at him, ensuring his eyes were still open. Satisfied, Void spoke again.

[Fine, don't let me in. But say this spell to heal your wound, and I'll be cured too. I know you don't possess magic, but our essences are now entwined. Say "epitrépste mou".]

Octavius stayed quiet, casting doubt on Void's request. However, after a moment, he murmured the words. Instantly, Void's essence dissipated and merged with Octavius's. Octavius's eyes gleamed a deep red as his wounds began to close, his body healing rapidly.

Octavius sprang to his feet, sensing the sudden presence of Void within him. "You tricked me!" he growled.

[Did I? I promised to heal our wounds, and I did. The method was also out of consent I didn't force you to say it. You said the words, Octavius. You invited me in.]

"You said it was okay if you didn't enter my body," Octavius accused, his voice trembling with rage.

[Have you learned nothing about trust? No wonder those insignificant critters manipulated and killed you so easily.]

The painful reminder of his predicament stabbed at Octavius's chest like a dagger. "Get out of my body!" he commanded, but Void remained, refusing to budge.

"Get out of my body!" Octavius screamed in rage, and to Void's shock, he was instantly expelled from Octavius's body.

Void's eyes widened in astonishment. He had cast a temporary spell to prevent Octavius from casting him out, unless he said the opposite phrase of "eiselthete sto soma mou", the Greek phrase for "get out of my body", which was the opposite of the phrase "epitrépste mou" (get in my body) that had allowed Void to enter his body. But somehow, Octavius had managed to override the spell.

Void stared at Octavius's retreating back, forced to follow him from behind, his plans temporarily foiled.